


Snow Angels

by FlufferNutterButter



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Chronic Pain, Ice Skating, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 12:39:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13146888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlufferNutterButter/pseuds/FlufferNutterButter
Summary: On a rare good day, Zenyatta gets knocked over by a reckless skater.It snowballs from there.





	Snow Angels

Zenyatta woke up feeling okay.

Not good, but better than usual, and that brought a smile to his face. He sat up in bed and immediately began planning his day, a whole new world of possibilities having opened up since he felt he could walk on his own. He tried, just to be sure, and though his steps were shaky from days of lack of use, he soon found himself stepping to and fro in his room. Smiling all the more to himself, he set about getting ready for the day.

Outside his window, snow flurries spun in the air.

Zenyatta knew what he would do with his day.

 

Mondatta hovered around his brother, glad but wary of his burst of energy today. Every patch of snow on the ground, every bit of uneven terrain, threatened his brother’s gentle steps.

For what had to be the fifth time, at least, Zenyatta turned to look at his brother.

“Mondatta, please. I will not break. Not today.”

“Careful,” chided Mondatta, “or you may invite the universe to do just that.” But he said so with a smile, his own wariness soon giving way to Zen’s optimism. They continued their walk down the street, towards the open-air ice skating rink.

Zenyatta was three years old the last time he was able to try ice skating. At the monastery, high in the Nepalese mountains, the pond near the village would freeze every winter, and a young Zenyatta would join the village children, borrowing a pair of skates. He remembered fondly, the way such far-off childhood memories are often remembered, gliding on the ice, tumbling a few times, but enjoying every second nonetheless.

That was before he got sick.

Now, Zenyatta knew not to waste this one good day, because he may not have another one for a long time.

The rink was crowded, as expected, but that didn’t put a damper on things. Though it took some time to pay for skates and be prepared, the time flew by in Zenyatta’s mind, so excited was he for this opportunity. Finally, he and his brother were able to get out on the ice.

He tended towards the outside of the ring, close enough to grab the wall if he needed support, and Mondatta skated right behind him. Though finding his balance was initially tricky, Zenyatta soon found a pattern that had him gliding slowly but surely on the ice.

Until he was suddenly jostled by someone skating past him at incredible speed.

The impact on the ice stung more than anything, the actual force being dulled by the cold. Above him, Zenyatta could hear his brother’s worried shout, and another shouting angrily. He rolled so that he was sitting up on the ice, and saw a dejected-looking man with green hair skating over. Another man, with long, black hair, snatched a scarf from the green-haired one and gestured to Zenyatta, tone low but harsh. Zen could not understand what he said.

“Hey, I’m sorry about knocking you down,” the green-haired man said. He crouched next to Zenyatta, sure and balanced on his skates. “Can you get up? Here, let me help you.”

Strong hands gripped Zenyatta’s elbows. “Get your feet under you. Ready?” he guided, and Zenyatta did as he said. “Okay, and now…” he began to stand, hands still on Zen’s arms, but Zenyatta’s legs started shaking. His face grew red, ever so slightly, with embarrassment. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stand; his legs might not support the full movement.

Mondatta inched closer, moving to intercept what was shaping up to be an unfortunate moment, but then the man gave Zenyatta new instructions.

“Okay, hold onto my arms. Tight. Trust me.”

Zenyatta did as he was told, nodding. The green-haired man gave him what was probably in the running to be the world’s most charming smile.

“Tell me when you’re good, okay?”

Before Zen could respond, the other man was standing, pulling Zenyatta straight up with him. With his legs under him, he could support his own weight. He looked up at the face of his helper. The other man flushed pink a bit, but maintained his award-winning grin. He didn’t let go.

“Oh!” Zenyatta realized. “Oh, I am okay. I can stand.” Proving so, he released his grip on the other’s arms. Likewise, the man released Zen, but they remained close together.

“I’m Genji, by the way,” the man said, holding his hand out, though the angle was awkward given how close they were. All the same. Zenyatta took it.

“My name is Zenyatta.”

The other stranger interjected, “Please forgive my brother’s recklessness. He’s not one to look where he’s going.”

Genji’s grin turned a bit shit-eating. “Maybe I was just distracted, Hanzo. I saw something pretty, and it caught my attention.”

“ _Genji!_ ” Hanzo hissed. “ _Shameless!_ ” He looked worriedly at Zenyatta, but Zen himself found the whole situation entirely too ridiculous, and suddenly burst out laughing.

Genji joined in. “See? I guess he’s fallen for me.”

The overt cheesiness of that line just made Zenyatta laugh more. Hanzo rolled his eyes.

“Are you certain he is not laughing _at_ you?”

Genji looked mock offended. “Someone? Laugh at me? Surely you must be thinking of how people act around _you_.”

Hanzo responded in sharp Japanese and the two bickered a bit. Then, Genji held his hand up to cut his brother off.

“Zenyatta, I really am sorry about knocking you over. Let me make it up to you. I’ll buy you coffee or something.”

In a moment of older-brother solidarity, Hanzo and Mondatta, who had been quietly watching the exchange, turned to each other and mouthed, _shameless_.

Zenyatta turned to his own brother. “It would appear Genji and I are going for ‘coffee or something’. Would you like to come along?”

The troubled look that crossed Genji’s face almost made Mondatta say yes, but he took mercy on him. “I believe I’d get in the way. Enjoy yourselves; I’ll be at home. Call me if you need anything.” He gave Zenyatta a hard look on his last word, reminding him, as if he didn’t know already, what “anything” meant. Zen nodded, silently and quickly praying that the universe would not, in fact, decide to do something cruel to him today.

Satisfied, Mondatta skated off. Hanzo, however, proved more difficult to shake.

“Who do you think drove you here?” he asked.

Genji waved his hand in a noncommittal gesture. “I’ll call a car. No biggie. Go do whatever it is boring older brothers do, Hanzo. Train. Homework. Watch HGTV.”

Hanzo rolled his eyes. “Do not call me and ask for a ride.” With that, he was gone, too.

Genji smiled and placed a hand on Zenyatta’s arm. “What do you say we take a few laps around the rink? I can help you get used to skating, and then we can get a treat.”

Zenyatta beamed. “That sounds wonderful.”


End file.
